Ban's spokesperson Stephane Dujarric was asked at his daily briefing here yesterday if the UN Secretary-General can, in the remaining months of his tenure, persuade India to have talks with Pakistan over Kashmir.

"I think, throughout his tenure, the Secretary-General has always been supportive of any direct dialogue between Pakistan and India," he said.

Ban, whose tenure as UN Secretary-General ends this year, as in the past offered his good offices to help resolve the conflict between both nations but has also maintained that India and Pakistan should resolve their differences bilaterally through dialogue.